Exploring the Intention to Cheat Among Undergraduate Students through the Lens of the Theory of Planned Behaviour

Abstract

The escalation of academic dishonesty cases is becoming alarming. This study uses the Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB) and conscientiousness as an antecedent of the intention to cheat. Data were collected through electronic and paper forms. Partial least squares path modeling (PLS-SEM) was used to analyze the responses from 917 undergraduate students in a Malaysian public university. The results support that conscientiousness is a valid predictor of the intention to cheat among students. Further, the three constructs of the TPB, subjective norms, perceived behavioural control, and attitude, significantly mediated the conscientiousness-intention to cheat relationship. Researchers are encouraged to test the model in private universities and other countries. This study is the first to study the intention to cheat among undergraduate students in Malaysia using conscientiousness as an antecedent of the TPB model. Implications for ethics education and research are discussed.